Best Chef with Nine Lives

Jacques Larson at Wild Olive

Staff Pick

We have to admit to being underwhelmed by the initial incarnation of Wild Olive out on Johns Island, but then Jacques Larson stepped in. In a few short months, he took the place from blah to fantastic. The old standbys are still on the menu, but he brings all of the originality and deft understanding of Italian food that made him so beloved among foodies during his stint at Mercato. Of course, Mercato’s loss is Wild Olive’s gain, and there’s no question where you’ll find us on a Saturday night when we want to sample real Italian or Italian-American food at decent prices. Larson is good enough to justify driving all the way from Mt. P.